The surname in question is CIAGWA (w. a diacritical mark under the first a-- thus, sounds like Ci-UNG-Wa); this ancestor is cited as showing up in Zubsuche (now Zab and Suche), PL in 1615 and marrying into a founding Highlander family (Gasienica). This 'Klemnica Ciagwa' was a forefather of the Zwijas/Zwijacz (surnames) family lines-- my family. Supposedly all this is written in a chapter of a book written by the researchers, Krzeptowski, (Zakopane, PL). I've actually seen some excerpts from this book and a fuzzy scan of a family tree (though I could make out the names Ciagwa and Zwijas, Zwijacz, alas, I do not read Polish).

Since my family is from the Zwijas line, I am very interested in knowing if this ancestor's name, Ciagwa, is actually a Polish name, or could it perhaps be of Slovakian origin? But, have hit the proverbial "dead end" in finding any traces of this name...

Q: Is this surname (Ciagwa) familiar to you in your Polish genelogy researching?

Hi Zenon,
The surname in question is CIAGWA (w. a diacritical mark under the first a-- thus, sounds like Ci-UNG-Wa); this ancestor is cited as showing up in Zubsuche (now Zab and Suche), PL in 1615 and marrying into a founding Highlander family (Gasienica). This 'Klemnica Ciagwa' was a forefather of the Zwijas/Zwijacz (surnames) family lines-- my family. Supposedly all this is written in a chapter of a book written by the researchers, Krzeptowski, (Zakopane, PL). I've actually seen some excerpts from this book and a fuzzy scan of a family tree (though I could make out the names Ciagwa and Zwijas, Zwijacz, alas, I do not read Polish).
Since my family is from the Zwijas line, I am very interested in knowing if this ancestor's name, Ciagwa, is actually a Polish name, or could it perhaps be of Slovakian origin? But, have hit the proverbial "dead end" in finding any traces of this name...
Q: Is this surname (Ciagwa) familiar to you in your Polish genelogy researching? PaniKohani

Hi PaniKohani,
I found the surname Ciągwa and its variations Ciągła and Cięgwa in Jozef Bubak’s books on the history of surnames in the district of Nowy Targ. The surname occurred in Zab, Skrzypne, Miedzyczerwienne, Jastrzebie, Poronin, Olcza, Nowy Targ, and Podczerwone.
Ciągwa cf. Ciągła -- Ciągła, Ciągwa, Cięgwa: Ciągła was listed 1827, 1834 and 1837 in the Book of Birth in Zab; Ciągwa 1631 in the Book of Marriages in Skrzypne; 1631 and 1641 in the Book of Births in Skrzypne and Zab; Ciagwa 1642 in the Book of Marriages in Zab; Ciągwa 1642 in the Book of Birth in Zab; 1647 in the Book of Marriages in Miedzyczerwienne; 1648 in the Book of Births in Jastrzebie; 1659 in the Book of Births in Zab; 1706, 1712, 1822, 1826 in the Book of Births in Poronin, Olcza, Zab, and Miedzyczerwienne. The name Ciągwa was also found in the Registration Books in Nowy Targ, and Podczerwone. Cięgwa was found in the Book of Births of the village Zab. -

You are remarkable, Ute! And, you seem to be a 'wiz' at researching-- how many old dusty thomes do you have access too?! ;~}

Well, thank you, thank you, thank you for this equally remarkable data you have furnished me re: the Ciagwa surname. Just knowing this new information is already a great delight-- and support for further researching, since your info is verifying for sure, the Zab village area where I heard this Kleminica ancestor 'arose' from...plus, now, several other areas-- not to speak of surname variations!

Thanks for your interest and offer. There is no Ciagwa in my current family line, but that earliest ancestor (I mentioned about him in my previous commentary here, and invite you to read that information) was named Kliminica Ciagwa (with requisite diacritical mark as mentioned), c. 1615. Of course you probably know this first name translates to the English, Clement. In the information I already cited, he is mentioned in family book by other geneologists that I also cite, about who settled in the region of Zakopane a long time ago.

Since, I have seen an old map of that region and even ffind reference to a glade (of land) called Ciagowka as well as one with reference to "Zwijacz" (a close derivative of my own ancestral surname of Zwiujas). According to their records, these geneologists have illustrated a tree showing that the name was first Ciagwa, then became Zwijas, then Zwijacz (this makes sense even now, because both the first two surnames are very rare, while the latter, much more common, indicating that line being the most current).

Anyway, this and my previous entries is all the information I have (so, just that one earliest ancestor was a Ciagwa).

Thank you again, Karen, for any and all related information you might proffer about that name in your region.
Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy, Peace-filled New Year to you and yours!
PaniKohani (Stephanie)_________________We are a continuum. Just as we reach back to our ancestors for our fundamental values, so we, as guardians of that legacy, must reach ahead to our children and their children. And we do so with a sense of sacredness in that reaching.

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